A candidate for President of the United States being convicted of a felony is not a moment to celebrate, but a time to reflect and reaffirm the principles that define our democracy. We must carefully consider the character of the people we elect and support leaders who prioritize public service above all else.
America's Founding Fathers had a lot to say about a more perfect union, one centered on principled leadership and public service, and their words and example can teach us a lot about our current political situation.
Alexander Hamilton said: “When a man known for his unprincipled private life, his want of fortune, his bold temperament, his considerable talents, his military background, his tyrannical manner, and his private life a mockery of the principles of liberty, should ride the rhetoric of popularity, or take part in the perils of liberty, or take every opportunity to embarrass and discredit the Federal Government, or to fawn upon and go along with the nonsense of the enthusiasts of his day, it may be justly suspected that his object was to sow confusion, to weather the storm, and to guide the whirlwind.”
Chaos is an effective ladder to power, but even in 1792 people knew that chaos creates collateral damage.
I recently heard a comment likening Trump's felony conviction to George Washington's fight against the British monarchy, implying that Washington was also a criminal. It is true that many of the Founding Fathers were considered traitors at the time, but their so-called crimes were committed for a cause much greater than themselves — the well-being of the entire American people.
In the Declaration of Independence, they boldly asserted: “We do solemnly publish and declare that these United Colonies are, and rightly should be, Free and Independent States…And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge our Lives, Fortunes and Sacred Honor.”
Their crime was the bold act of severing ties with the monarchy in order to establish a state based on freedom and self-government.
In stark contrast, Trump was indicted on 34 counts of first-degree falsifying business records, a felony in New York state, for falsifying those records to conceal hush money payments to porn stars.
Can you see the difference?
There is an important difference between fighting for a country's independence from a king who ruled without regard for the needs and causes of his people, and hiding one's compensation to avoid embarrassment.
Filing lawsuits and arguing to avoid embarrassment is not a sign of good character. Paying porn stars to keep quiet before an election is not honorable, and it does not serve a public that deserves to know the true character of those seeking the nation's highest office.
But some elected leaders in Idaho and beyond have defended Trump, ignoring the stark differences between his actions and those of our Founding Fathers.
George Washington fought for an ever-evolving America toward a more perfect union. He stepped down from power at the height of his influence because he recognized the dangers of leaders clinging to it. In contrast, Trump is clearly intent on retaining power at all costs, regardless of the consequences for the country.
In his farewell address, Washington said, “I am convinced that whatever circumstances may have given special value to my services, they have been temporary. I can take comfort in the belief that, while choice and prudence impel me to retire from the political stage, patriotism does not forbid it.”
True patriots do not cling to power, but rather empower those around them to carry on and strengthen America's heritage.
To compare Trump to Washington makes a mockery of the legacy of our Founding Fathers. Washington and his contemporaries risked everything to create a new nation based not on the rule of one man but on the rule of law, the fundamental principle on which liberty and justice rest. Our Founding Fathers were visionaries who understood this, and knew that these principles depend on leaders of character and integrity.
This moment in history calls for a recommitment to these values. We must demand that our leaders embody the principles of public service, integrity, and selflessness that our Founding Fathers championed. We must approach our democratic process with vigilance and discernment to ensure that those who run for public office are in office for the right reasons.
As we navigate the aftermath of Trump’s guilty verdict, let us not forget the lessons of history. Let us honor the true legacy of our Founding Fathers by electing leaders who will put the public interest above private interests and embody in action the words of the Preamble to the Constitution: “We, the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common Defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain this Constitution for the United States of America.”
In a bipartisan statement, we echo Idaho Governor Brad Little's statement that “this issue will be decided by a vote.”
It is our duty as citizens to remain informed and not be misled by those who sow confusion. Our immediate future, and the future of our children and grandchildren for generations to come, depends on our wise choices at the ballot box.
And we must never again allow the character of our leaders to fall so far below the standards set by those who fought to build this great nation.
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Evan Koch is chairman of the Kootenai County Democratic Party.
